Publican

Publican, an under-collector of the Roman tribute. (Matt, xviii. 17.) The chief collectors were men of wealth and political influence, but they farmed out the direct work of gathering the revenue to a class who were notorious for their greed and extortion. Those who engaged in this service were despised by the Jews, and they were not allowed to enter the temple or the synagogues, or to give testimony in a court of justice. From this despised class our Lord chose one of his apostles (Matthew, or Levi), and from its ranks Zaccheus was converted.